Linux Tweaking Notes

Using fuse (sshfs) with kubuntu

Install fuse-sshfs
Add user to fuse group:

usermod -a -G fuse steveb

will add the user steveb to the fuse group.

Make a directory to 'mount' the fs to.

mkdir omg_steveb_home

You may have to load the module (not sure why, but it works)

sudo modprobe fuse

Check this with:

lsmod | grep fuse

Finally, mount the fs:

sshfs steveb@machine_name.omg.unb.ca: omg_steveb_home

and enter your password.

To unmount the fs:

fusermount -u omg_steveb_home/

Thunderbird issue on Fedora Core 4

I got the following message:

error while loading shared libraries: libXp.so.6: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

Do this:

yum install xorg-x11-deprecated-libs.i386

And you should be good to go...
Also, see Jonny's linux tweaks

Getting Java working on Firefox 1.5 & Fedora Core 4

-Get and run jre-1_5_0_06-linux-i586-rpm.bin or equivalent (from java.sun.com). This is the java runtime environment needed.
-Goto the plugins directory the firefox is using. Either /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins, or ~/mozilla/firefox/plugins (If installed in home account), or equiv.
-Create a symbolic link: 'ln -s /usr/java/jre1.5.0_06/plugin/i386/ns7/libjavaplugin_oji.so ./'
-Restart Firefox and presto...
-!! Exact paths may differ slightly. !!

USB Drive not remounting with Fedora Core 4

-You can mount the drive manually as root using the command 'mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/usb_drive' where /mnt/usb_drive has been created before hand.
-That will only allow root write access.

-Adding the line '/dev/sda1 /mnt/usb_drive auto user 0 0' to the fstab file will allow users to mount and umount the drive and have write access.

Getting Intel 845 Graphics working on Dell Inspiron 1100 with Kubuntu Breezy

-download and untar 915resolution from www.geocities.com/stomljen/
-'sudo ./915resolution -l'
-pick a res...
-'sudo ./915resolution 45 1024 768 16'
-add the line 'Option "ForceBIOS" "1028x768=640x480"' in the Device section of xorg.conf
-I also added 'HorizSync 28-72' and 'VertRefresh 50 - 70' to the Monitor section
-I'm not exactly sure which part made things work, but its going, so I'm happy.

Apache 2,2, PHP5, PostgreSQL, etc

Follow directions here:
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/install.html
http://ca3.php.net/manual/en/install.unix.apache2.php

If you get this message:

API module structure `php5_module' in file /usr/local/apache2/modules/libphp5.so is garbled - perhaps this is not an Apache module DSO?

Then you need to recompile php. I upgraded the apache, but tried to use the old php so. If you get this message:

/usr/local/apache2/modules/libphp5.so: cannot restore segment prot after reloc: Permission denied

Then try 'ls --lcontext' (LS --LCONTEXT), you may get this:

root:object_r:usr_t

Type 'chcon libphp5.so -t shlib_t' and check the change,

root:object_r:shlib_t

After this, my Hello World script from http://ca3.php.net/manual/en/tutorial.firstpage.php worked.

Getting gcc3.2 working on Fedora Core 4

You can't compile gcc3.2.3 with gcc4.0 (wtf?)
So compile gcc3.3.6 then compile gcc3.2 with that
Never mind, didn't work. PACKAGE HELL!
Needed gcc3.2.3 to compile gdal with MrSid support.

See ECW and JPEG2000 for MrSid replacements

Installing a new drive in Fedora Core 4

See: FedoraNews Howto

Work around for libstdc++.so.5 error for Fedora Core 4 & Kubuntu Breezy

Kubuntu: Install libstdc++5 with Adept (may also need build-essential package).
Fedora: yum search compat-libstdc and yum install compat-libstdc++-33

Workaround for the Ubuntu Dapper Kernel Update bug.

mkinitramfs -o initrd.img-2.6.15-18-386 2.6.15-18-386

Do this from the command line that you get with the rescue feature of the ubuntu install disk.
It will create the file (-o is the output). Replace the corrupted file in the /boot dir.

Customizing VI

In the .vimrc file:

filetype on

will enable vi to colour code files appropriately (c,html,etc).

This command will restore the cursor to the last place you left it.

These will indent stuff like c code

set autoindent

set smartindent

And this will define the size of the tab (4 spaces)

set tabstop=4